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Classic Christmas Cake Recipe: Traditional British Rich Fruit Cake

Classic Christmas Cake

A traditional British rich fruit cake made with overnight brandy-soaked dried fruit, citrus zest, almonds, and festive spices. The cake keeps beautifully when wrapped, stored airtight, and fed sparingly with brandy before Christmas.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 minutes
Total Time 3 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soaked Fruit
  • 1 kg Mixed dried fruit
  • 150 ml, plus extra for feeding Brandy
  • 1 orange Orange zest
  • 1 lemon Lemon zest
Cake Batter
  • 250 g Unsalted butter, softened
  • 200 g Light soft brown sugar
  • 175 g Plain/all-purpose flour
  • 100 g Ground almonds
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons Mixed spice
  • 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ground cloves
  • 100 g Flaked almonds
  • 4 eggs Large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
Optional Finish
  • 2-3 tablespoons Apricot jam
  • 500-750 g Marzipan
  • 500-750 g Ready-to-roll fondant icing

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Soak the mixed dried fruit with brandy, orange zest, and lemon zest overnight at room temperature.
  2. Heat the oven to 150°C conventional, 130°C fan, or gas mark 2. Grease and double-line a deep 20 cm round cake tin.
  3. Cream the butter and brown sugar, then beat in the eggs one at a time with the vanilla.
  4. Sift the flour, baking powder, and spices, then fold them into the butter mixture with the ground and flaked almonds.
  5. Fold in the soaked fruit and any remaining soaking liquid, transfer the batter to the tin, and make a shallow dip in the centre.
  6. Bake for about 2 hours 15 minutes, testing with a skewer, and continue for another 15–30 minutes if needed.
  7. Cool completely in the tin, pierce the top, and spoon over 1–2 tablespoons of brandy.
  8. Wrap the cake in baking parchment and foil, store it airtight, and feed it with small amounts of brandy every 1–2 weeks.

Notes

The cake is ready when the centre is firm and a skewer comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs. Feed sparingly because excess brandy can make the cake wet and reduce its keeping quality. For the traditional finish, brush with warmed apricot jam, cover with marzipan, allow it to dry, and then cover with fondant icing.